east pembroke

A vehicle is reported to be on its side on the eastbound Thruway near mile marker 399. Unknown injuries. East Pembroke Fire Department, Mercy medics and law enforcement are responding.

UPDATE 7:08 a.m.: Both occupants are out of the vehicle. Medics will evaluate them.

A possible chimney fire is reported at 6842 Fisher Road, Oakfield. Flames were seen shooting from the chimney, but no flames or smoke are showing now, says a firefighter. The residence has been evacuated. Oakfield fire is on scene. Mutual aid response was cancelled but units are asked to stand by in their quarters from Alabama, Elba and East Pembroke.

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.: Oakfield fire back in service.

The East Pembroke Fire Department has been dispatched to mile post marker 397.2 westbound on the New York State Thruway for a possible fire in the engine compartment of a tractor-trailer.

Call into 9-1-1 reports heavy smoke coming from the engine area.

The truck is described as having an open flatbed trailer with contents on the flatbed.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: East Pembroke fire on scene and there is no smoke showing.

UPDATE 2:10 p.m.: East Pembroke Fire Department reports a blown motor and the tractor-trailer will need a tow. The occupants will remain in the cab. East Pembroke assignment will go back into service. State Police are now on location.

An accident involving a pickup and another vehicle is reported at Route 33 and Wortendyke Road. There are injuries and it is blocking traffic. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding along with two Mercy rigs. Mercy Flight is called to the scene.

UPDATE 11:21 a.m.: Extrication is needed as soon as possible. A landing zone will be set up in a nearby yard.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: There's heavy traffic congestion in the area.

UPDATE 11:31 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed. The patient to be airlifted is conscious and alert. Extrication of victim(s) will "easily be five to 10 more minutes."

UPDATE 11:39 a.m.: A third ambulance is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 11:50 a.m.: Extrication has been completed. One person is being transported to UMMC; another is being taken to UMMC Erie County Medical Center. Mercy Flight is airborne.

UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: Mercy Flight is going to ECMC.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m.: The East Pembroke assignment is back in service.

UPDATE 1 p.m. (by Howard): Trooper Steven Brady said the initial investigation indicates that the sedan was eastbound on Route 33. The truck was westbound. The sedan driver didn't see the oncoming truck before executing a left-hand turn onto Wortendyke. The sedan was T-boned. There were circumstances at the time of the accident that would have prevented the driver from seeing the truck, Brady said. "He simply didn't see it." There was another car making a right-hand turn, which may have distracted the sedan driver for a moment. East Pembroke Chief Don Newton was the first emergency responder on scene. He said he requested Mercy Flight primarily as a precaution for the patient in the passenger seat because of the heavy impact on that side of the car. There's no indication at this time that the injuries are serious. The driver of the sedan and the truck were transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC with minor injuries.

A car has hit the East Pembroke Fire Department sign and a child in the vehicle suffered a minor injury.

East Pembroke fire and Mercy EMS responded.

Smoke in the basement is reported at 8309 Coniber Road. East Pembroke and Pembroke fire departments are responding.

UPDATE 7:22 p.m.: Command on scene confirms light smoke in the basement.

UPDATE 7:28 p.m.: The smoke reportedly smells like fuel oil of some sort.

UPDATE 7:40 p.m.: Fire command is speaking with the homeowner, although no one was home at the time of the call. The chimney may be the source of smoke.

UPDATE 7:51 p.m.: They are ventilating the structure.

UPDATE 7:55 p.m.: East Pembroke command says the source of the problem is a faulty furnace and the homeowner is going to take care of it. The assignment is back in service.

A controlled burn near the railroad crossing off Wilkinson Road, West Batavia, will be extinguished by East Pembroke Fire Department since it is in its district. The heavy smoke from the burn resulted in several calls to dispatch more than an hour ago. But after checking out the scene and speaking with the homeowner, who was not present at the burn, firefighters went back in service. Now the blaze requires them to put it out.

A car vs. deer accident resulted in minor injuries to a 4-year-old girl. It occurred about 15 minutes ago at Pratt and Indian Falls roads in East Pembroke. A responder says the deer crashed through the vehicle's window, shattering glass which cut the child's face. Her hair is also full of pieces of broken glass. Mercy medics and East Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are on scene.

UPDATE 6:19 p.m.: The assignment is back in service.

A possible chimney fire is reported at 368 Martin Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. The house is filled with smoke Alabama Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from East Pembroke and Indian Falls. Akron is put on standby. The location is between Bloomingdale Avenue and Erie County's Scotland Road.

UPDATE 10:47 a.m.: A firefighter on scene reports the fire is contained to the fireplace, and they will need equipment to tear into it in an effort to keep it contained.

UPDATE 10:55 a.m.: Akron is told they can stand down.

UPDATE 11:03 a.m.: East Pembroke and Indian Falls are on scene along with Alabama.

UPDATE 11:14 a.m.: Indian Falls is back in service.

UPDATE 11:23 a.m.: The fire is out. Alabama command and other responders are back in service.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 399. There are said to be three pople with injuries; none are believed to be life threatening. Two Mercy medic units are responding along with the East Pembroke Fire Department.

UPDATE 6:47 a.m.: A third ambulance is called in for a patient with a back injury. No other Mercy rigs are available so a Darien ambulance is requested, mutual aid.

UPDATE 6:53 a.m.: Mercy medic #2 is taking a patient to Erie County Medical Center.

UPDATE 7:04 a.m.: Mercy medic #3 is also taking a patient to ECMC. Darien's ambulance has arrived. State Troopers are on scene.

UPDATE 7:16 p.m.: Darien is taking the patient with the back injury to ECMC, too. The East Pembroke assignment is back in service.

Here's some shots from a late afternoon drive through East Pembroke, Indian Falls and Pembroke.

Above, on Stegman Road, Batavia.

Pratt Road

Little Indian Falls Road

Indian Falls Lake

Slusser Road

The smell of smoke is reported inside the Batavia Animal Hospital, located at 3699 W. Main Street Road. It's in the East Pembroke Fire District, which has a responder on scene calling for all available manpower to respond, mutual aid, from Town of Batavia Fire Department. There is the smell of wood burning in the building.

UPDATE 8:31 a.m.: Firefighters completed an investigation of the roof and found nothing. They are continuing to investigate.

UPDATE 8:43 a.m.: They are checking the attic now.

UPDATE 9:17 a.m.: Power is turned off and National Grid and the contractor which built the new facility are going to work to fix the problem, which was not specified. Town of Batavia is back in service.

East Pembroke's volunteer firefighters arrived at the fire hall last night expecting just another Monday night of training and extrication practice.

Typically, a car would be parked behind the fire hall and firefighters would rip it apart as it sat, flat on flat ground.

Last night, Chief Don Newton thought he would throw them a curve. Just as they had unloaded the department's extrication equipment from the heavy rescue, East Pembroke's tones went off.

The report: A rollover accident on Stegmen Road.

It was a drill, but Newton figured the expected change of plans would get his firefighters in a different frame of mind.

"When we set something up as a drill, they're in response mode, they're in call mode, they're in extrication mode, they're looking for something better to do while on scene," Newton said.

Rather than dealing with a car on all four tires on flat ground, the firefighters are practicing in something like a real-world scenario: A car on its roof on a creek bank.

It makes for better training, Newton said.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer firefighter, visit ReadyGenesee.com.

A shed fire (which has also been referred to as a barn) is reported 653 Main Road in Pembroke near South Lake Road. Pembroke command on scene says "there are exposure issues," to a nearby structure. Route 5 and South Lake Road are being shut down. Called to provide mutual aid are: Darien, Corfu, East Pembroke, Indian Falls, Alabama, and Akron.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: The fire is knocked down. No exposures involved. They are doing rehab on the shed. Responders still headed to the scene are told to come in non-emergency.

UPDATE 6:13 p.m.: The road is reopened. All responders are back in service.

UPDATE (by Howard): Photos added. No official cause, but it's possibly an electrical fire according to preliminary indications. A van and an ATV were destroyed along with tools.

State Police are continuing to investigate the apparent accidental death of Kevin Doktor, of Boyce Road, Corfu, late this afternoon.

According to what East Pembroke firefighters were told when they arrived on scene, Doktor was operating a CASE Model 1840 skid loader when it became stuck, said Stephen Smelski, assistant chief for East Pembroke.

Doktor's son went to get a piece of equipment at Doktor's nearby house to pull it out and returned to the skid loader with a neighbor.

The 54-year-old Doktor was reportedly caught between the loader's bucket and the front of the seat area of the loader.

Smelski said it appeared Doktor was either trying to repair something or get back into the skid loader when the bucket fell.

There should be safety devices on the loader to prevent such accidents said a neighbor who works regularly with skid loaders. It's not known at this time why such a safety device might have failed.

At this stage of the investigation, State Police are not discussing any details of the incident, but it is being investigated as an accident.

Smelski said when firefighters arrived, they tried to lift the bucket, but the apparent equipment malfunction prevented them from moving it. Even if they had been able to move it, Doktor's injuries were too severe for first responders to have saved him, Smelski said.

Doktor was well known in the Corfu and East Pembroke communities. He owned Doktor's Welding on Route 5.

A man is reported to be stuck -- "not sure if he's inside or under" -- a bulldozer or some other type of machinery on Boyce Road. Mercy medics are responding along with East Pembroke Fire Department and mutual aid from Alexander. Mercy Flight is on ground standby in Batavia.

UPDATE 4:28 p.m.: "Patient is still trapped underneath a skidster," says a responder from Corfu Fire Deparment, adding that the patient is way back behind the house.

UPDATE 4:29 p.m.: The path back there is problematic because it's likely trucks would get stuck if they tried to drive on it.

UPDATE 4:31 p.m.: They need manpower to go back to the accident site with hand tools. They are to stage at their trucks for now. An investigator is called to the scene.

UPDATE 4:34 p.m.: Mercy Flight is cancelled.

UPDATE 4:35 p.m.: A rep for Case tractor / farm equipment is sought so responders can get information on how to work the machine's hydraulics.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: A man is at the scene who is either a rep for Case or who is knowlegable about the machinery in question, but he is told the State Police investigators must complete their work before he go back there.

UPDATE 5:09 p.m.: This is a fatal accident.

An Airstream travel trailer is reportedly on fire on the westbound Thruway near mile marker 397.0. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: The fire is "going pretty good." According to caller reports, the location is closer to 392.2, which is in Town of Batavia's district. All manpower from East Pembroke is called in along with units from Town of Batavia.

UPDATE 3:03 p.m.: Traffic is backed up to Kelsey Road. The trailer fire appears to be fully involved. The vehicle is disconnected from the trailer and both are roadside. There are still conflicting reports as to the location, now said to be by mile marker 396. It's determined to be in East Pembroke's district, which will therefore be in command.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: Firefighting equipment is not yet on scene. The trailer is probably going to be a total loss, according to fire command. Traffic is snarled.

UPDATE 4:16 p.m.: The East Pembroke / Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A grass fire is reported by a state trooper near mile marker 398.6 on the westbound Thruway. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:16 p.m.: Pembroke Fire Department is also responding. Firefighters are told to use caution upon approach because there's a disabled vehicle on the Thruway near the grass fire. Traffic is backed up in both lanes.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: Pembroke fire chief is on Indian Falls Road and can see the blaze. He says there's a road running next to a corn field and it's possible trucks could go down it to reach the fire. They are going to try that approach and other responders already on the Thruway will continue to the mile marker.

UPDATE 5:28 p.m.: Pembroke command reports the fire is out.

It's time again for one of the most fun and exciting events in Genesee County -- the East Pembroke Mud Races, sponsored by the East Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department.

Registration for the race begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, and ends at 11:30. Racing follows. The registration fee is $15 per wheeler and $5 per extra classes. Racers pay an admission fee, as well.

There will also be the annual Mud Queen Scramble and a Mud King and Outlaw Class race.

Spectator admission is $10, and pit spectator admission is $15.

Raffle prizes include a 2013 Polaris Sportsman 500cc, a 2013 Polaris Outlaw 50cc and $3,500 cash. Second place is $500; 3rd is $250.

The fire department wishes to thank all of its sponsors and members for the support and work to make the event possible.

In the picture, from left, Willie Torres, Chuck Chatley, Gerri Baylor, Julie Waldron, Steve Smelski, Willie Welch, Dan Kolb and Ray Schramm.

A second rider was reported down and injured at Area 51 in East Pembroke. Mercy medics responded. The responders are now back in service.